Coronavirus News: NY Mets' Ed Kranepool shares message for potential kidney donors

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Wednesday, April 8, 2020
Ed Kranepool shares message for kidney donors amid COVID-19 crisis
As Ed Kranepool approaches the one-year anniversary of his kidney transplant surgery on May 7, he's taking extra precautions by staying isolated and safe in his Long Island home during this pandemic.

LONG ISLAND (WABC) -- This time last year New York Mets legend Ed Kranepool was waiting for a new kidney.



As he approaches the one-year anniversary of his kidney transplant surgery on May 7, he's taking extra precautions by staying isolated and safe in his Long Island home during this pandemic.



A surgery which saved his life after a two-year wait for a kidney and an initial anticipated surgery that fell through, he describes what the waiting period was like.



"When you have someone volunteer a kidney, that's an ordeal you have to discuss it with your family and you have to go through all the protocol to get yourself ready for it," Kranepool said. "When at the last moment they postpone it -- mentally it's difficult on both sides."



Not only are many surgeries on hold or delayed on a case by case basis, at this time, the National Kidney Foundation says they are seeing the number of living organ donors drop dramatically in recent months.



As for Ed Kranepool, who underwent his transplant surgery last May after uncertainty and a two-year wait, he knows it may not be on everyone's mind at this time but has a message for potential donors.



"It's 100,000 people on the list right now waiting for an organ," Kranepool said. "Of course there's always gonna be a need for them so it would be a great thing, it would help an awful lot of people and I just hope they are patient and they can continue to do it and they can have the transplants."



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